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•Prayer for Boldness to Share the Gospel•By Anthony Valente👉 “The wicked flee when no one is pursuing, but the righteous are bold as a lion” (Proverbs 28:1)Seven years ago, while in recovery for my drug addiction I was met with a strong desire to begin to use my social media accounts to share my faith in Christ with others. I didn’t want to use my words to manipulate people’s emotions to gain likes or followers, but to point them to truth found in God’s Word alone.As a child of God, I see social media as a place of ministry. I never want to compromise God’s truth so that others may feel more comfortable embracing my message. I don’t want to twist or misinterpret scripture so that the entire meaning is changed, or confusion is created because it may contradict what we find in the Bible. I discovered very quickly that exposing darkness and error wouldn’t win me any popularity contests online.As someone who has spent many years healing from the wounds of rejection, denying myself of the desire to be a people-pleaser has to take precedence when it comes to sharing God’s truth, even when it tends to offend. Standing up for God’s Word in a culture where truth is relative, and not absolute as it should be, comes with a lot of pushback (even among professing Christians).But as true Christ-followers, we are to live to please God and not men. As believers, we shouldn’t compromise truth to be popular, but we also shouldn’t be quarrelsome. We need to stand firm upon truth no matter what others may say about us or about our God.Proverbs 28:1 reminds us that believers don’t back down or run away at the first sign of adversity:“The wicked flee when no one is pursuing, but the righteous are bold as a lion” (Proverbs 28:1)We need the Holy Spirit’s help any time we stand up for Jesus; it is His strength that we must lean on. We need His boldness and courage to be light in a dark world if we are to be a mouthpiece for Him. Just as we cannot muster up our own righteousness, we cannot muster up boldness and strength as a witness for Jesus.We have to solely rely on the Holy Spirit’s work in our lives and in our hearts. God desires that none should perish, but that all should come to repentance (2 Peter 3:9), so that should be the heartbeat behind why we share truth with others. It’s not about us being right so that they would follow us, but that they would come to the knowledge of truth so that they might follow Jesus alone.May the Lord give us the boldness to share His Word with others so that they may come to know Him and love Him more.Let us pray.✝️ Heavenly Father,I thank You for calling me to Yourself and making me Your child through what Jesus did for me on the cross. In Him, I am now able to be called righteous, not for anything I have done, but because of His sacrifice.You have called us as believers to go into the world and make disciples of every nation. I ask that You give me a courage and boldness to share Your truth and Your Gospel with those around me, whether that is online or with another person face to face.I pray that those You place in my path would see Your great love for them in the truth that I share.In Jesus’ name,AMEN 🙏 Be watchful, stand firm in the faith, act like men, be strong. (1 Corinthians 16:13)And this is the confidence that we have toward him, that if we ask anything according to his will he hears us.(1 John 5:14)Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.(1 Peter 5:8)“The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, for he has anointed me to bring Good News to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim that captives will be released, that the blind will see, that the oppressed will be set free.(Luke 4:18)For God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control.(2 Timothy 1:7)Be strong and courageous. Do not fear or be in dread of them, for it is the Lord your God who goes with you. He will not leave you or forsake you.(Deuteronomy 31:6)So we can confidently say, “The Lord is my helper; I will not fear; what can man do to me?”(Hebrews 13:6)Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.(Hebrews 4:16)“But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you.”(John 14:6)This was his eternal plan, which he carried out through Christ Jesus our Lord. Because of Christ and our faith in him, we can now come boldly and confidently into God’s presence.(Ephesians 3:11-12)“Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”(Joshua 1:9)As it is my eager expectation and hope that I will not be at all ashamed, but that with full courage now as always Christ will be honored in my body, whether by life or by death.(Philippians 1:20)Pray also for me, that whenever I speak, words may be given me so that I will fearlessly make known the mystery of the gospel.(Ephesians 6:19)So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.(Isaiah 41:10)And now, Lord, observe their threats and grant to Your bond servants [full freedom] to declare Your message fearlessly, While You stretch out Your hand to cure and to perform signs and wonders through the authority and by the power of the name of Your holy Child and Servant Jesus. And when they had prayed, the place in which they were assembled was shaken; and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and they continued to speak the Word of God with freedom and boldness and courage.(Acts 4:29-31)But he was pierced for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his wounds we are healed.(Isaiah 53:5)(pic verse)Then Jesus said, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy to bear, and the burden I give you is light.”(Matthew 11:28-30)Artist 👨‍🎨 I Am With You Always - David Delfeld